REFORM IN CHINA.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 88, 13 April 1912, Page 9

REFORM IN CHINA.

PASSING OF THE PIGTAIL. [JBI TEUSGBAPH — SPECIAL TO TBOS POST.] AUCKLAND, This Day. A visitor to Auckland by the Marama yesterday, who has recently come from China, told a Star reporter that he arrived in Canton on the day upon which the order went forth, for the shearing of pigtails. The visitor (Mr.-H. W. Hogg, of Hawai) said that it was a, rare spectacle of confusion on the part of the resisting Celestials, whose love of their ancient form of headdress was most deeply rooted, an-d of fun among disinterested spectators. Although the natives were 1 given only twenty-four hours' notice to be shorn in compliance with the edicts of the new Dynasty, the process occupied more than a month. The operation was performed forcibly j by vigorous officials in cases where resistance was shown, and Mr. Hogg wit- ' nessed the spectacle of a protesting I Chinaman having a finger chopped off as the penalty for endeavouring to cover his hair with his hands. The same gentleman expretsed tho opinion that China, although on the J right roa-d, had sore times! ahead, as the aftermath of the recent revolution Foxinstance, a good deal of trouble was being experienced with the pirates, who had been enlisted by the Chinese Government for service m the army. They were now clamouring for unpaid wages, and a decided spirit of unrest appeared to prevail. However, the Government would no doubt become stable in | good time.